Ideas offered on what to teach kids

Last week's column calling for suggestions to school curriculum spawned a flurry of contributions from readers. Here's one example: "In addition to 'readin, writen' and 'rithmatic' how about 'hand writen' and good old fashioned 'comportment'? Anyone ever use an ink pen to write a letter anymore? Do we teach citizenship or just history? I think we should teach children to speak appropriately, too."

Character emerged as the number one subject. Many cited the need to help children learn to be honest, caring, loyal, trustworthy, et cetera. One quoted the Boy Scout oath. Most mentioned that people need to "do the right thing" because it IS the right thing, not to get an award or recognition.

Etiquette / manners were a very close second. Whether it be eating, dressing appropriately, or taking turns, readers noted that today's social norms may lack respect of and consideration for others.

Penmanship was number three on the list of readers' suggestions. Once upon a time people routinely wrote letters, and the language used was often eloquent. Cursive handwriting can be a thing of beauty, and calligraphy is downright artful. Typing and then keyboarding were popular subjects just a few short years ago, but nowadays many children are "texting" and "tweeting" before they even enter school.

Citizenship came in fourth, and a few readers noted it is still a common subject in schools. However, the twist on this one focused on the need to teach children the importance of civic engagement and community participation. Merely learning about history, how governments work, and what makes communities vibrant may not necessarily compel students to become active citizens.

Last, but certainly not least, is life skills. The slant on this one was two-fold, i.e., how to function well in today's world and how to survive should computers, cell phones, and man-made energy sources fail. Laws and ordinances continue to evolve, so people need to be able to understand and comply. However, might people sometime need to know how to build a fire safely, how to grow vegetables, cook, and build things?

In sum, I think it is fair to say that school curriculum classroom teachers struggle to be all things to all people while being held accountable to state assessments that focus on math, science, and the language arts. In addition, the age-old philosophical question remains: Is formal education preparation for life or is it life itself? Maybe it is both.